Privacy Policy - Man With Van Woodside

This Privacy Policy explains how Man With Van Woodside collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Man With Van Woodside customers in the area, including prospective customers, current customers, and anyone who enquires about our removal and transport services.

We are committed to handling personal information fairly, lawfully, and transparently. We only process data where we have a valid legal basis, and we take appropriate steps to keep it secure and limited to what is necessary for our business operations.

1. Information We Collect

We collect personal data that is necessary to provide moving, delivery, and related services. The categories of information we may collect include:

Identity information such as name, title, and any business name provided.
Contact details such as phone number, email address, and service address.
Service and booking details such as move dates, property access notes, inventory lists, preferred times, and special handling instructions.
Payment and billing information where required for invoicing and payment processing.
Communication records including emails, messages, call notes, and complaint or feedback information.
Technical information that may be collected through our website or digital tools, such as basic device and usage information, if applicable.
Special instructions that may indirectly reveal sensitive information, for example accessibility needs or delivery constraints.

We do not deliberately collect special category data unless it is necessary for a specific service request or you choose to provide it. Where such data is provided, we will process it only when permitted by law and only for the purpose for which it was supplied.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to manage our services and meet our legal and operational obligations. Typical uses include:

Responding to enquiries and providing quotations.
Managing bookings, scheduling, and service delivery.
Preparing invoices, processing payments, and maintaining accounting records.
Communicating about your move or delivery, including changes or updates.
Handling complaints, disputes, or service issues.
Maintaining internal records and service history.
Meeting legal, regulatory, tax, and insurance requirements.
Improving our services, training staff, and monitoring quality.

We only use data for purposes that are compatible with the reason it was collected, unless we have a lawful reason to use it differently.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for every processing activity. Depending on the situation, Man With Van Woodside may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes taking bookings, arranging services, communicating about jobs, and issuing invoices.

Legal Obligation

We may process data to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, health and safety, insurance, and record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and interests do not override those interests. Examples include managing customer relationships, preventing fraud, improving services, and maintaining operational security. We always consider the impact on your privacy before relying on this basis.

Consent

In limited circumstances, we may ask for your consent, for example where we wish to use your information for a purpose not covered by another lawful basis. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time.

4. Sharing Your Information

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary to provide services or comply with legal requirements. We only share the minimum information required and only where appropriate safeguards are in place.

Recipients may include:

Payment providers who handle card or online payments.
Accountants and professional advisers who support financial, legal, or compliance matters.
IT and software providers who store, manage, or support business systems.
Insurance providers where a claim or incident needs to be reviewed.
Subcontractors or service partners who assist with delivery or related operational tasks.
Public authorities where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.

All processors and service providers are expected to protect personal data, act only on our instructions where applicable, and comply with data protection law.

5. Data Processors

Where we use third-party processors, they act on our behalf and are bound by contracts that require them to:

Process data only for specified purposes.
Keep data secure and confidential.
Assist with data protection obligations where needed.
Delete or return data when no longer required.

Examples of processors may include booking systems, cloud storage providers, email and communication tools, payment processors, and accounting platforms. We assess these providers to ensure they offer an appropriate level of data protection.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason for processing.

As a general approach:

Quotation and enquiry records may be retained for a limited period to manage follow-up and business administration.
Customer and booking records may be retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
Invoices, payment, and tax records are typically retained for the period required by accounting and tax laws.
Complaint, incident, or claim records may be retained longer where needed to defend legal claims or meet insurance obligations.

When data is no longer required, we will delete, anonymise, or securely archive it in line with our retention practices.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, password protection, secure storage, staff training, and restricted sharing of information on a need-to-know basis.

Although we work hard to protect your information, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a personal data incident occurs, we will respond in line with our legal obligations and take steps to reduce risk.

8. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights over your personal data. These rights may apply depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis used for processing.

Right of access – you can ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification – you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure – you can request deletion of your data in certain situations.
Right to restriction – you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
Right to object – you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Right to data portability – you can request certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed. We encourage you to raise any concerns with us first so we can try to resolve them promptly.

9. International Transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information. These safeguards may include adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent legal protections.

10. Children’s Data

Our services are generally intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is necessary in connection with a lawful service request made by an adult customer, such as family-related moving arrangements. Where children’s data is involved, it will be handled with particular care and only as needed.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or our data handling practices. Any updated version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically.

12. Summary of Our Commitment

Man With Van Woodside is committed to processing personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We collect only what we need, use it for legitimate business and service purposes, keep it no longer than necessary, and protect it with appropriate safeguards. This policy applies to all Man With Van Woodside customers in the area and is designed to ensure privacy rights are respected at every stage of our service.